Balancing colors in a scanned three-dimensional image

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9762883-B2
Application number	US-201414516609-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 17, 2014
Priority date	Oct 17, 2013
Publication date	Sep 12, 2017
Grant date	Sep 12, 2017

Abstract

A method of balancing colors of three-dimensional (3D) points measured by a scanner from a first location and a second location. The scanner measures 3D coordinates and colors of first object points from a first location and second object points from a second location. The scene is divided into local neighborhoods, each containing at least a first object point and a second object point. An adapted second color is determined for each second object point based at least in part on the colors of first object points in the local neighborhood.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of optically scanning and measuring a scene, the method comprising:
providing a first scanner, the scanner including a first light emitter for emitting light onto the scene, a first light receiver for receiving light from the scene, and a first processor;
providing a second scanner, the second scanner including a second light emitter for emitting light onto the scene, a second light receiver for receiving light from the scene, and a second processor;
measuring with the first scanner in a first scanner location three-dimensional (3D) coordinates and a color for each of a plurality of first object points in the scene;
measuring with the second scanner in a second scanner location 3D coordinates and a color for each of a plurality of second object points in the scene;
selecting a plurality of local neighborhoods within the scene, each local neighborhood including at least one first object point and at least one second object point;
determining an adapted second color for each second object point, wherein in each of the local neighborhoods the adapted second color is based at least in part on the colors of the first object points in the local neighborhood;
storing the 3D coordinates and the color for each first object point; and
storing the 3D coordinates and the adapted second color for each second object point;
the step of providing a scanner further includes providing a first angle measuring device, a second angle measuring device, and a distance meter;
the step of measuring, with the scanner in the first scanner location, further includes measuring the 3D coordinates of the first object points based at least in part on readings at the first scanner location of the first angle measuring device, the second angle measuring device, and the distance meter; and
the step of measuring, with the scanner in the second scanner location, further includes measuring the 3D coordinates of the second object points based at least in part on readings at the second scanner location of the first angle measuring device, the second angle measuring device, and the distance meter.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein:
in the step of providing the scanner, the light source is a projector and the light receiver is a triangulation camera, there being a baseline distance between the projector and the triangulation camera;
the step of measuring with the scanner includes providing a color camera, the color camera being selected from the group consisting of the triangulation camera and a second camera coupled to the scanner;
the step of measuring with the scanner in the first scanner location further includes projecting with the projector a first projected pattern of light, capturing with the camera a first reflected pattern of light from the object, and determining with the processor the 3D coordinates of the first object points based at least in part on the first projected pattern of light, the first reflected pattern of light on the camera, and the baseline distance;
the step of measuring with the scanner in the first scanner location further includes measuring a first color image and mapping colors from the first color image to the 3D coordinates of the first object points;
the step of measuring with the scanner in the second scanner location further includes projecting with the projector a second projected pattern of light, capturing with the camera a second reflected pattern of light from the object, and determining with the processor the 3D coordinates of the second object points based at least in part on the second projected pattern of light, the second reflected pattern of light on the camera, and the baseline distance; and
the step of measuring with the scanner in the second scanner location further includes measuring a second color image and mapping colors from the second color image to the 3D coordinates of the second object points.

3. A method of optically scanning and measuring a scene, the method comprising:
providing a scanner, the scanner including a light emitter for emitting light onto the scene, a light receiver for receiving light from the scene, and a processor;
measuring with the scanner in a first scanner location three-dimensional (3D) coordinates and a color for each of a plurality of first object points in the scene;
measuring with the scanner in a second scanner location 3D coordinates and a color for each of a plurality of second object points in the scene;
registering the 3D coordinates of the first object points and the 3D coordinates of the second object points in a common frame of reference;
selecting a plurality of local neighborhoods within the scene, each local neighborhood including at least one first object point and at least one second object point;
determining an adapted second color for each second object point, wherein in each of the local neighborhoods the adapted second color is based at least in part on the colors of the first object points in the local neighborhood;
storing the 3D coordinates and the color for each first object point; and
storing the 3D coordinates and the adapted second color for each second object point;
the step of providing a scanner further includes providing a first angle measuring device, a second angle measuring device, and a distance meter;
the step of measuring, with the scanner in the first scanner location, further includes measuring the 3D coordinates of the first object points based at least in part on readings at the first scanner location of the first angle measuring device, the second angle measuring device, and the distance meter; and
the step of measuring, with the scanner in the second scanner location, further includes measuring the 3D coordinates of the second object points based at least in part on readings at the second scanner location of the first angle measuring device, the second angle measuring device, and the distance meter.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein, in the step of measuring with the scanner in a first scanner location and in the step of measuring with the scanner in a second scanner location, each color is represented as a color value for each of a plurality of color channels.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein, in the step of providing a scanner, the scanner further includes an integrated color camera configured to provide a color camera image.

6. The method of claim 3 wherein, in the step of providing a scanner, the three camera color channels are red, green, and blue.

7. The method of claim 3 wherein:
the step of measuring with the scanner in a first scanner location further includes obtaining at least one first color camera image from the first scanner location; and
the step of measuring with the scanner in a second scanner location further includes obtaining at least one second color camera image from the second scanner location, wherein the first color camera image and the second color camera image are two-dimensional (2D) images.

8. The method of claim 5 wherein:
the step of measuring with the scanner in a first scanner location further includes mapping the first color camera image onto the first object points; and
the step of measuring with the scanner in a second scanner location further includes mapping the second color camera image onto the second object points.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein:
in the step of providing a scanner, the light emitter is further configured to emit a first color, a second color, and a third color;
in the step of providing a scanner, the light receiver is further configured to receive the first color, the second color, and the third color;
in the step of measuring with the scanner in a first scanner location, the color for each of the plurality of first obj

Assignees

• Faro Tech Inc

Inventors

• Vollrath Joachim E
• Ossig Martin

Classifications

• H04N13/0037 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic

• G01S7/4802

  using analysis of echo signal for target characterisation; Target signature; Target cross-section · CPC title

• G01C11/025 Primary

  by scanning the object · CPC title

• G01C11/08

  the pictures not being supported in the same relative position as when they were taken · CPC title

• G01S17/89

  for mapping or imaging · CPC title